The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States rose 3.719 million barrels in the week ending April 3. In the week prior, US crude oil inventories rose by 10.263 million barrels. Analysts had expected a 1.598 million barrel draw. Inventories in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) drew down for the second week in a row after a long and steady flow of barrels into the nation’s stockpiles that has spanned over a year. For the week ending April 3, 1.8 million barrels left the SPR, bringing…

The first quarter of 2026 marked a sharp shift from the broad-based strength that closed out last year. The S&P 500 finished in negative territory as investors wrestled with a new war in the Middle East, stubborn inflation, shifting interest rate expectations, and uneven earnings across major industries. But the headline decline doesn’t tell the real story. What stood out in Q1 was the extraordinary divergence beneath the surface. A handful of sectors delivered strong gains, while the broader market struggled. The gap between winners…

Oil prices pulled back on Tuesday while physical crude markets surged to record highs, with traders taking a breather even as the underlying supply crisis worsens. WTI crude was trading at $113.7, up modestly on the day, while Brent slipped to $109.2, reflecting a cooling in futures after a sharp run higher driven by panic buying in physical markets. Meanwhile, real-world crude prices hit levels not seen before. Dated Brent—used to price much of the world’s physical oil—rose above $144 per barrel, with some cargoes effectively…

Donald Trump threatened over the Easter weekend to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened by 8 pm Eastern time on Tuesday, April 7.  “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump wrote Saturday morning on Truth Social. “Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”Media has been reporting that the closure of the strait, through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil passes, has skyrocketed…

Oil prices pulled back on Tuesday while physical crude markets surged to record highs, with traders taking a breather even as the underlying supply crisis worsens. WTI crude was trading at $113.7, up modestly on the day, while Brent slipped to $109.2, reflecting a cooling in futures after a sharp run higher driven by panic buying in physical markets. Meanwhile, real-world crude prices hit levels not seen before. Dated Brent—used to price much of the world’s physical oil—rose above $144 per barrel, with some cargoes effectively…

A flurry of recent deals and announcements suggest significant new reserves of natural gas are contained in the Ustyurt Plateau, which spans western sections of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The prospect of a major Ustyurt find is, in turn, helping to fuel interest in building a trans-Caspian gas corridor. The UK energy giant BP is shaping up as the pivotal player in the development of Ustyurt’s potential energy riches. On April 2, a company subsidiary signed an exploration deal with the Kazakh state-run entity KazMunayGaz covering a “promising…